Since the 2011 inception of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and member colleges of osteopathic medicine, in conjunction with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), have pledged to ensure that current and future physicians are educated and trained in the unique clinical challenges and best practices associated with caring for military service members and veterans, and their families.

In recognition of Veterans Day, on November 12, AACOM member colleges are encouraged to organize a two-hour military medicine educational activity for their students, utilizing the resources AACOM has developed and compiled for this purpose. For more information about participating in this effort, contact AACOM Associate Vice President for Medical Education Tyler Cymet, DO (tcymet@aacom.org) or Administrative Assistant Kate Hirsch (khirsch@aacom.org).

Looking forward, AACOM will hold several military medicine-related concurrent sessions at the upcoming Joint AACOM & ADOME Annual Meeting, to be held April 24-27, 2013, in Baltimore, Maryland.

AACOM is currently developing several other Joining Forces projects in accordance with its pledge to this cause. Check the AACOM Joining Forces web page regularly for updates.